Widescreen support for Blood Omen 2

[Marcelo_20xx]

Following my "Widescreen support" series, as I promised earlier, here is the modified exe of Blood Omen 2 that have support for 16:9 aspect ratio, enjoy!!!
NOTE: You need to have the game previously patched to the 1.02 version!!!

LINK:
Blood Omen 2 Widescreen Enabled

LINK for GoG version:
GoG's Blood Omen 2 Widescreen Enabled

And screenshots for comparison...

Default:



Modified



Unmodified at 1600x1200 without hardware stretching



After downloading and extracting the bo2.exe file, go to your game directory (C:\Program Files\Eidos Interactive\Blood Omen 2... or wherever you have it on your PC), remove the bo2.exe in there and paste it somewhere else, in case. Paste the bo2.exe from the patch in this folder and play the game normally.


~~~~~~

From The Hylden:

In addition to Marcelo 20xx's patches, below here you can also find links to download the modified FMVs (Full Motion Video) in Blood Omen 2 in proper 16:9 widescreen format, instead of the 4:3 native format and from the higher rez PS2 videos.


*Note: these aren't necessary to run the patches. They are just additional bonuses if you want the FMV's also in widescreen.


First, you'll need to copy this binkw32.dll file from Defiance (can be any newer game using Bink) and replace the one that is in SR2's folder. That dll file is here:

binkw32.dll

If you're on Windows 7 64bit, your file will be a binkw64.dll, which I don't have. You can find one from your other games' directory, or through Google.

Video Logos:

Little treat for you all, also. After spotting it on the PS2 version, I decided to incorporate the video with the portrait of Kain, roaring, crouched with the Reaver on the rooftops, city in the background, the "press start" on the left throbbing to the heart beat sound. This:



Now, you have it in the videos. I combined the Eidos and CD logo vids into the first eidos.dat file. The crystal.dat file is now the heartbeat/press start video Find them here:

eidos.dat

crystal.dat


Main videos:

bo2intro.dat

From the Intro:



This is the text video, telling you Kain has been asleep for 200 years and it's 200 still before he raises Raziel:

spooky.dat

The main intro, called awakens.dat, will have to be downloaded via .rars, as it was just a tad too big to upload as is.


Instructions:
Download all parts in each file, then use WINRar, or 7Zip to extract part 1 -- the other parts will follow automatically.

awakens part 1

awakens part 2

awakens part 3

awakens part 4

awakens part 5

awakens part 6

awakens part 7

From awakens:




The rest of the videos -- outro, credits, and the SR2 trailer:

outro.dat

credits.dat

sr2_trailer.dat

Like above, go to your game's directory and remove the existing movie files to some other location, in case, and replace them in the movie's folder with the above.


And with that, you're all set. The best quality video and audio in 16:9 format to compliment the ingame patched the same.

[Count D]

Whoa! Can't believe it, thanks Marcelo! But can you make one for GOG version?

[Marcelo_20xx]

I didnt know the game was already in GoG, I recently bought the CDs again (I lost my previous copies), sigh!
Have to buy it again from GoG I guess

EDIT: First post updated
Thanks to Count D (saved me 6 bucks and the trouble)

[The Hylden]

Great job I'm going to have to see if my CDs will work. I might have to buy the GoG version too (my PC copy sometimes works, sometimes doesn't...). I'll take a look at the FMVs when I do.

[Count D]

With FMVs it won't be as simple, as it was with Defiance. Y'see, that blurb with "200 years after bla-bla-bla" is in the intro video, so you'll have to cut the intro in two parts, erase the borders from the second half and glue them back together.

[The Hylden]

Actually, that is a separate file; they just play back to back. I am probably going to leave that be, like the eidos/CD logo vids. Those might be stretched, but they look best when their effects go to the edge of the screen (and you can't really tell with text/logos). Unless you guys are really burning to see those logos and text videos altered. I could do them, too, if everyone wants them. My main concern are the actual story intros/outros.

I will have to modify the credits one to show properly and it has no matte, so there will be black on each side. I'd rather see that than the artwork getting stretched.

The real issue is that these are Data files instead of the Bink video formats Defiance and SR1/BO1 use. For this and SR2's videos, the thing I will have to figure out is how to make the videos Data (.dat) files again.

[Count D]

Huh.
I don't think the Eidos\CD logos are worth the trouble.

By the way, Marcelo, I think patch shrunk everything just a bit too much. For instance, as far as I remember, the moveable crate in the Slums had cubic shape, but here it was taller, than usual.

[Marcelo_20xx]

It holds the correct value, the in-game value for 4:3 in this game is Float 1.3333 (AB AA AA 3F in hexadecimal), by multiplying this for 1.3333 (for 16:9 aspect ratio) you get 1.7777 (39 8E E3 3F in hexadecimal) and that's the value I modified.

I also checked the original exe vs the modified and took comparison shots, both have the same visuals, maybe you got used to the stretching.

First post updated

[The Hylden]

Ugh, so anyone know how to create a .dat file from a video? I'm getting from my search that these might be Video CD files, and when I used a trial program to make one, it basically makes a tiny MPEG-1 file and a bunch of other data files that I have no idea how to combine into anything.

Might be a while longer on this one, as I am quickly getting stumped...

[Paradoks]

Originally Posted by The Hylden

Ugh, so anyone know how to create a .dat file from a video?

Can't you just rename it? I renamed credits.dat to credits.bik and RAD video tools plays it without any complaints. Should work the other way as well.

[The Hylden]

I'm trying to get the game to read it. I have the videos already reformatted. Now, I need the game to be able to play them again. I tried just renaming the MOV file, but it didn't work. Maybe it needs to be formatted to a bink one instead... Hm...

[Paradoks]

Originally Posted by The Hylden

Maybe it needs to be formatted to a bink one instead... Hm...

Like I said in a post above - bik file (Bink video). The binkw32.dll file in the game folder is there for a reason .

[The Hylden]

I'm converting in rad tools now. Thanks

[Count D]

Originally Posted by Marcelo_20xx

It holds the correct value, the in-game value for 4:3 in this game is Float 1.3333 (AB AA AA 3F in hexadecimal), by multiplying this for 1.3333 (for 16:9 aspect ratio) you get 1.7777 (39 8E E3 3F in hexadecimal) and that's the value I modified.

I also checked the original exe vs the modified and took comparison shots, both have the same visuals, maybe you got used to the stretching.

First post updated

I guess so. The game's stylized, so it's easy to get used to the stretched look.

[The Hylden]

Yeah, Kain looks like someone leaned over the concept render one day and was like, he needs to be taller! So, said person just stretched the model without correcting at all

[The Hylden]

PS2 version of Blood Omen 2 jsut arrived and I have those FMVs converting now. Man, the difference is so stark. Especially the dream into and the end with Kain killing the HL. Pixelated, compressed mess is about to be exchanged for actual, watchable video.


Edit: I can tell you officially that the dream sequence intro was uploaded out of sinc. The video is a different cut than the sound was supposed to be sinced to. Many cuts are just one frame off, but a few are up to three, or four frames off. As a result, I've had to actually recut the video.

Luckily, it looks like the others are ok.

Updated the OP. All videos are now in full widescreen 16:9 are uploaded and ready for anyone to download.

[Count D]

Guys, you won't mind it I'll take the .exe, the video and the dll, will make an installer for them and will upload to a different file hosting? It's taking me days to download the vids from this one.

[The Hylden]

If you have an easier way for you and others, I'm all for it. I'm guessing the lack of response since this all was posted is due to people having problems.

[Count D]

Alright, I got the installer ready and am uploading it right now. Damn, it's big.

Anyway, the vids are awesome. And thanks for the title screen with Kain on the roof. I remember looking the PS2 version up on youtube and thinking "Man, why the hell did they leave this awesome piece of artwork out?"

[The Hylden]

I'm glad you were able to download them all. The upgrade to the visual and audio is something all fans should have. The absence of that title screen and what they put in place for it on the PC, with that metal grate window thing, is a shame. I have no idea why they left this video out, but I'm glad to finally be able to put it in the game where it belongs.

I look forward to seeing what host you're uploading this to. If it handles files this big and is easy for people, I'll look into making .exe installers for Defiance and the rest also. I found that Windows has a program that exists within called iExpress and seems easy enough to use. Is this what you used to create the installer?

[Count D]

No, I used Inno Setup. The hosting is pretty good, the only downside is that it's Russian, so you'd have problems with uploading on it. Downloading's easy though - just input the captcha and press the green button.

[Count D]

Sorry for double post, just wanted to make sure you know it's updated.
Took me ages to upload it. First try was jeopardized, yesterday I came home late and didn't even bother, finally did it now. Grab the pack at
http://narod.ru/disk/61871610001.03b...Setup.exe.html

[The Hylden]

You don't have to be worried about double posting in this case. The rule of thumb to go by is to give it at least a day for people to reply to your post and otherwise just edit your existing post. If a day, or so, has gone by and no-one has replied to you and yet you have something that adds to the thread you want to post, then that's fine. We just don't want people posting in reply to themselves within an hour, a few hours, when they could easily use the edit button It stops people from bumping threads and spamming.


Ok, so I'm having an issue with this site. It doesn't let me download anything in Firefox (directs me to a page with installing instructions). In Chrome (where I can translate it and read it, thankfully), it decides to try and instal an installer named Yandex. I don't think I can get behind asking people to instal some installer first to get this file.

[Count D]

That's weird, it's not supposed to do that thing. Hmm.

Edit: Alright, to avoid the yandex thing you gotta uncheck the text in yellow box.

[Irmok the Mad]

What a wonderful thread. It's been a while since I last ventured in these ancient forums. Today, I leave with 3 brand new widescreen patches (Defiance, Blood Omen 2, and Soul Reaver), and some high resolution movies to boot as well.

Thank you all, Kain fans.